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Final Wisconsin Power 25 Update

June 17, 2024
By: Maddox Durst, Andy Sroka & Josh Fields
Wisconsin Staff

The 2024 WIAA season has officially come to a conclusion, as Fox Cities Stadium played host to the State Tournament last week. Four teams were crowned State Champions in De Pere, Edgewood, La Crosse Aquinas and Eleva-Strum last Thursday.

With the final results of the year coming in the playoffs, the staff at Prep Baseball Wisconsin has created its last update to the Power 25 rankings for the spring season. Check out some of the major adjustments, below.

+ VIEW THE FULL WISCONSIN POWER 25 HERE

AT THE TOP

+ No. 1 De Pere (27-3): The Redbirds were dominant throughout the entirety of their playoff stretch, with much of the credit going to their pitching staff. RHP’s Easton Arendt (2024; Winona State University commit), Axel Donaldson (2024; Madison JC) and LHP Landon Raygo (2024; Bryant & Stratton (WI)) carried the load on the mound for this senior-led unit—combining to allow an impressive five runs in six games to conclude the 2024 season. De Pere outscored their opponents 13-2 in the final two games of the year—winning from start to finish in Appleton. The three aforementioned names made up a lot of the production from the top of the lineup, in addition to the presence of OF Mason Sequin (2025) from the two-spot. 1B Milo Upton (2024; Concordia (WI)) provided some pop from the middle of the order, in addition to the Redbirds’ getting major production out of C/RHP Trenton Kriewaldt (2025) and INF/RHP Devin Weber (2024) to round out their order. It was an impressive team effort to witness in Appleton, as De Pere rattled off 13 straight wins against some of the toughest programs in the state to secure a Division 1 Championship—establishing themselves as the best team in the Badger State.

+ No. 2 Sun Prairie East (27-5): The Cardinals were not far behind in team efforts turned in at Appleton, as their program got the most out of their prospects, who were relatively young throughout the season. RHP Brady Stelzer (2026) and LHP Joseph Tamboli (2026) have bright futures for Sun Prairie East as starting pitchers, as both sophomores were key in the Cardinals’ path to get to the State Tournament and reach the final game of the season. Tamboli came on to close against Oak Creek in their Semifinal matchup—allowing his team to comeback in the last two innings while he allowed one hit and zero runs. SS Max Glusick (2025), 1B/RHP Drew Kavanaugh (2024; Wisconsin-Eau Claire (football)) and 1B/OF John Hadley VI (2024; Wisconsin-Milwaukee) were clutch all of last week and throughout Sectionals for Sun Prairie East—stepping up both offensively and defensively to elevate their level of play against strong competition. INF Van Vogler (2026) and DH Gavin Meece (2025) found themselves in similar spots toward the bottom of the order, as Vogler was the only Cardinal who scored on Thursday against De Pere. C Manuel Abreu Socorro (2026) and others enjoyed quality play throughout the playoffs, as the Cardinals will be back in 2025 as one of the top teams in the state.

+ No. 3 Oak Creek (27-4): The Knights fell behind early on in the State Tournament right away on Monday to a pesky Nicolet team. They remained resilient though, and powered through to score the final nine runs of the game to take down their opponent and advance to the Semifinals. Despite falling short to the aforementioned Sun Prairie East Cardinals, Oak Creek was one of the toughest outs in the playoffs and enjoyed a stellar 2024 season. OF/LHP Cade Palkowski (2024; Wisconsin-Milwaukee) stepped up as a table-setter and run-producer in the leadoff spot for the Knights—hitting one home run at Fox Cities Stadium. OF/RHP Payten Jibben (2024; Illinois-Chicago) was in the same boat—providing some of the best offensive and pitching numbers in the state. Jibben hit a home run against the Cardinals that gave the Knights the lead on Wednesday—continuing to provide that spark. Additionally, names such as C Nathan Hanel (2024; Wisconsin-Parkside), INF CJ Trask (2024; Bradley), OF Nate Schopf (2025) and CIF Mack Endres (2026) were strong contributors during the playoff stretch, and all season long. The pool of talent remains strong for the Knights within their program, despite losing one of the top senior classes in the state.

Payten Jibben [6/12/24]

PLAYOFF STANDOUTS

+ No. 4 Westosha Central (25-6): The Falcons remained in the middle of the Power 25 throughout a majority of the season—winning the Southern Lakes Conference, along with advancing to the State Tournament. Westosha Central relied on their strong pitching and stingy defense throughout all of 2024, making it to the Division 1 Semifinals before dropping out. RHP Brody Schulte (2025) and LHP Joseph Suokko (2025) were key on the mound throughout their entire playoff run, in addition to the work of RHP/DH Max Nottingham (2025) out of the ‘pen. Each arm stepped up in their wins throughout the playoff stretch—allowing their offense to make enough noise to win matchups.

Joseph Suokko [6/12/24]

OF Carson Sieler (2025), C Mason Mitacek (2024; Wisconsin-Parkside) and INF Charlie Dietz (2025) were the main enforcers with the bats, all providing some pop throughout the lineup for the Falcons. Westosha Central returns a majority of their main producers in their pitching staff and in their lineup—priming them for a strong 2025 in southeast Wisconsin.

+ No. 6 Hudson (22-8): The Raiders capped off their season by making it to the State Tournament for the first time in 50 years—using their mix of star upperclassmen and underclassmen to advance through Sectionals and into Appleton. OF/C Logan Hagman (2027) remained clutch for Hudson throughout their playoff run, mostly due to his work from the cleanup spot. INF/RHP Sam Abrahamson (2026) stepped up in a big way for the Raiders to get them to Appleton by first throwing four shutout innings against River Falls—earning the win. The sophomore then got up to the plate against Sun Prairie East and launched a home run out of Fox Cities Stadium—keeping his team in the game throughout.

Sam Abrahamson [6/10/24]

C Hunter Carlson (2024; Wichita State), SS Landon Zeuli (2024; Winona State University) and LHP Bradyn Bezanson (2024; Maryville University) all concluded their prep careers with a Sectional Championship—emerging as some of the top players in the Big Rivers Conference, along with the state at their respective positions. Hudson ended the year at 22-8 with a difficult schedule—looking to take that momentum into next season.

+ No. 9 Bay Port (20-9): The Pirates had a slow start to their 2024 campaign—beginning the season on a 1-5 clip. Then went on to finish the year at 19-4 in their last 23 games, utilizing their elite pitching staff and scrappy offensive unit to put together wins against the strong competition within the Fox River Classic Conference. LHP Ethan Plog (2024; Iowa Western CC) and RHP Craig Kabat (2024; Gonzaga) were the one-two punch that carried this team to a Sectional Final, before dropping out to the eventual State Champions in De Pere. Each arm impressed in their starts during Sectionals, a common theme that carried on from the regular season. MIF’s Carter Kallies (2024; Wisconsin-La Crosse) and Caleb Schirel (2024) stepped up at the top of the order—producing as table-setters in this lineup. OF Carson Hawley (2026) saw some time in the outfield toward the latter half of the season, stepping in as an underclassman in a veteran program. It bodes well for the future, as the Pirates will look to reload on all cylinders after graduating a quality 2024 class.

Craig Kabat [6/4/24]

+ No. 20 La Crosse Aquinas (25-4): The Blugolds were listed as the top team in Division 3, and lived up to the hype throughout the entire playoff stretch. Aquinas notched the Division 3 State Championship after falling short last season—emerging as a force to be reckoned with throughout the Badger State. They climb a couple of spots in our Power 25 after showcasing their talent in front of our staff in Appleton. SS/RHP Eddie Peters (2024; Xavier) was the star during their State Tournament run—demonstrating his easy power with a double off of the wall and a home run in two games. He played a clean shortstop defensively, in addition to securing the final out in their last game on the mound, too.

Eddie Peters [6/11/24]

RHP/DH Aedan David (2026) provided an intriguing look on the mound—reaching 84 mph with the FB while twirling a five-inning no-hitter against Cumberland in the Semifinals. He produced four hits and half of the team’s RBIs, too. David was joined by fellow underclassman in INF Jonny Deets (2027), who continued to excel on the big stage both at the plate and at third base. RHP/OF Tanner Peterson (2024; Winona State University) and C Jacob Thornton (2025) rounded out this group, as they were the battery that shut down Kenosha St. Joseph in a 6-4 victory to cap off their season. Next season, the Blugolds will move to Division 2 based on their recent success.

WELCOME…

+ No. 12 Menasha (19-6): The Bluejays also played under-the-radar throughout a majority of the 2024 season after falling out of the Power 25 early on, as they won the Bay Conference once again, in addition to making it to the State Tournament. They return to the Power 25 to end the season—taking down two previously ranked top-10 programs to make it to the State Tournament. They gave De Pere a scare right away in game one in Appleton, despite losing 2-0. LHP/1B Quinn Ludvigsen (2024; Minnesota State-Mankato) was a difference-maker throughout the entire playoff stretch—providing clutch hits and complete games on the mound on a consistent basis.

Quinn Ludvigsen [6/10/24]

RHP Ian Dohms (2024; Coastal Alabama-South CC) stepped up when it counted, too. Dohms eliminated West Bend East and Manitowoc Lincoln during this run, two powerful offenses in the WIAA. He also batted toward the top of the order in every game—providing the game-winning hit against the Suns in their Regional Final. INF Ty Carlson (2024; Madison JC) was a savvy veteran in the leadoff spot all season, especially in the playoffs. C Bryce Duszak (2024; Tallahassee CC), amongst others in this batting order, provided a spark in the latter half of the season for Menasha. The Bluejays used their experience and talent to make a run at the State Tournament—enjoying a strong 2024 campaign.

+ No. 18 Edgewood (22-6): The Crusaders debut at No. 18 in the Power 25 rankings—coming off of a stellar run to the Division 2 State Championship, including a big 12-6 win over a ranked Mosinee squad in the title game. Edgewood, led by the likes of SS Preston Yaucher (2025; Penn State) and C Bennett Cagle (2025), exploded on the offensive end throughout this playoff run. They posted a combined 29 runs in the first two games of Regionals, in addition to scoring double digits against the Indians.

Preston Yaucher & Bennett Cagle [6/13/24]

They were also able to win close games with the help of RHP’s Henry Bishop (2024; Depauw University) and Steffen Mello (2024; Wisconsin-Oshkosh), a pair of seniors who dominated the WIAA in their pitching careers. With their help, others such as INF Jack Halloran (2025) and 1B Seth Myers (2025) stepped up in their junior seasons to elevate the Crusaders to an elite status. They were a fiery team with the bats up in Appleton, and never took their foot off the brakes once they had a lead. Clutch defensive plays and solid pitching allowed this group to limit runs, as they return multiple core pieces in the 2025 season—looking to each maintain their momentum over the summer.

+ No. 22 Kettle Moraine Lutheran (25-6): The Chargers made an appearance on the Power 25 in the latter half of the regular season before falling off, but they make their return to No. 22 after a quality run to the State Tournament. RHP’s Landon Hagenow (2024) and Reed Ratay (2024) did the heavy lifting on the mound for Kettle Moraine Lutheran during this stretch, as both senior arms stepped up and shut down quality opponents. The offense then got to work, led by 1B Brett Biondich (2026; Texas Christian) and others. INF’s Jackson Kobylarczyk (2025) and Adam Zylka (2025) each stepped up at the plate, as all three prospects will man the middle of this lineup next season. OF Jackson Wallin (2024) was a scrappy two-hitter that helped set the table for the bats in the middle of the order throughout this entire postseason run—hitting over .400 in the process. Role players emerged as tough outs for this group, as head coach Darrell Wasburn and his program stuck to the fundamentals and small ball portion of the game to notch wins. They defeated Grafton, Campbellsport, Pewaukee and New Berlin West on their way to the State Tournament—concluding a successful season as conference and Sectional champions.

Brett Biondich [6/12/24]

+ No. 24 Kenosha St. Joseph (24-5): The Lancers enjoyed a strong 2024 campaign to make their debut on the Power 25 rankings—slotting in at No. 24 after giving La Crosse Aquinas their biggest challenge of their playoff run before dropping out in the title game. OF Eric Kenesie (2024; Buffalo University (basketball)), C Peter Visconti II (2025) and 1B Dominic Santarelli (2026; Louisville) were elite as the top-3 batters in the Kenosha St. Joseph order. Each provided some pop during the playoff stretch, including multiple extra base hits coming from each of them. CIF Zach Rizzo (2026) is another underclassman to follow throughout the summer, as the sophomore added to the depth of this unit by putting together multiple quality at bats at the State Tournament. RHP Mason Ballard (2025) will return next year as the ace, as the right-hander was able to limit Bonduel to just one run during their Semifinal win against the Bears. Ballard stepped up and emerged as a solid starter, as each prospect looks to take on the summer circuit in the next couple of months.

Peter Visconti II [6/11/24]

+ No. 25 Eleva-Strum (23-8): The Cardinals round out the Power 25 as the first Division 4 program to make it on the list this season—taking on a difficult regular season schedule and postseason run to eventually be crowned State Champions last Thursday. Eleva-Strum was tasked with handling Denmark, Medford, Wisconsin Lutheran and Pewaukee during the regular season, which seemed to prepare them for this playoff stretch. They handed Bangor and Northwood/Solon Springs their first losses of the season, in addition to taking down two strong programs in Columbus Catholic and Pittsville in the playoffs. RHP/INF Carter Gunderson (2024; North Iowa Area CC) was the difference-maker in their win over Pacelli in Appleton, as the two-way star provided a pair of RBIs while closing the last four innings on the mound in a narrow 3-2 victory.

Carter Gunderson [6/11/24]

RHP Tyler Webb (2024; Wisconsin-Eau Claire) then stepped up on Thursday, as he was the first arm in the WIAA to shut down the Green Eagles, as the Cardinals went on to win 11-1. C Jake Bjerke (2024; Winona State University) and INF Justin Becker (2024) were solid at the plate, as everyone stepped up down the stretch for head coach CJ Christianson’s squad. Solid team defense, paired with execution on the offensive end allowed this team to hold up gold by the season’s conclusion on Thursday.

DROPPED OUT

+ Verona Area (19-6)
+ Wisconsin Lutheran (19-7)
+ Janesville Craig (22-7)
+ Menomonee Falls (20-7)
+ Reedsburg Area (21-3)

BUBBLE TEAMS (ALPHABETICAL)

+ Bangor (18-1)
+ Jefferson (23-6)
+ Kenosha Indian Trail (20-9)
+ Kiel (22-5)
+ Medford (25-4)
+ Neenah (17-8)
+ New Berlin Eisenhower (16-11)
+ Northwood/Solon Springs (19-2)
+ Pewaukee (21-8)
+ Waukesha North (19-9)

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